Container resealing method and apparatus

Abstract

A device for closing and resealing an opened container such as a beverage can comprises a threaded cap (13) and a corresponding threaded skirt (22) adapted to be threaded together and apart. The skirt has an upper surface that moves toward and away from a cam surface formed in the underside of the cap as the cap and skirt are threaded together and apart. A compression ring (27) adapted to be compressed and expanded in diameter is captured between the upper surface of the skirt and the cam surface of the cap. As the cap is threaded progressively onto the skirt, the compression ring is engaged by and rides along the cam surface and is thus progressively compressed in diameter. An annular sealing gasket (21) depends from the underside of the cap (13) and is sized to seat about the peripheral portion of the end of the container as the cap moves downwardly toward the top of the container. In use, the assembly is placed over the top portion of a container and the cap is threaded onto the skirt until the compression ring is compressed into gripping engagement with the container at the bottom of the chime thereof whereupon the cap is threaded further until its gasket engages and seats about the periphery of the can end, thus sealing off the can.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for selectively capping and uncapping a container of the type having a container body and a container end with said apparatus comprising: a skirt configured to extend at least partially about the body of the container adjacent the end thereof;   a cap configured to be received by said skirt with said cap at least partially spanning and covering the container end when said skirt is in position extending about the container body;   cooperative mating means on said cap and said skirt with said mating means being adapted to provide progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt upon appropriate manipulation of said cap relative to said skirt;   retaining means operatively associated with said cap and said skirt, said retaining means being configured to lock said skirt securely in position about the container body when moved into gripping engagement with the container;   means for moving said retaining means into gripping engagement with the container upon initial progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt to lock said skirt in position about the container;   means for maintaining said retaining means in gripping engagement with the container upon further progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt;   sealing means on said cap for engaging and sealing off the container end as said cap is moved progressively onto said skirt;   said retaining means comprising a diametrically compressible ring disposed within said apparatus and said means for moving said retaining means into gripping engagement with said container comprising means for compressing said compressible ring toward engagement with the container;   said means for compressing said ring comprising a cam formed in said cap with said cam being configured with a first contoured surface shaped and positioned to engage and compress said ring upon initial progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt; and   said skirt having an upper surface, said first contoured surface of said cam being positioned to confront and move toward the upper surface of said skirt as said cap is moved progressively onto said skirt, said compressible ring being disposed between said skirt upper surface and said first contoured surface whereby the ring is engaged by and rides up the first contoured surface upon initial progressive movement of the cap onto the skirt to compress the ring diametrically into gripping engagement with the container.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus for selectively capping and uncapping a container of the type having a container body and a container end with said apparatus comprising: a skirt configured to extend at least partially about the body of the container adjacent the end thereof;   a cap configured to be received by said skirt with said cap at least partially spanning and covering the container end when said skirt is in position extending about the container body;   cooperative mating means on said cap and said skirt with said mating means being adapted to provide progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt upon appropriate manipulation of said cap relative to said skirt;   retaining means operatively associated with said cap and said skirt, said retaining means being configured to lock said skirt securely in position about the container body when moved into gripping engagement with the container;   means for moving said retaining means into gripping engagement with the container upon initial progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt to lock said skirt in position about the container;   means for maintaining said retaining means in gripping engagement with the container upon further progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt;   sealing means on said cap for engaging and sealing off the container end as said cap is moved progressively onto said skirt;   said retaining means comprising a diametrically compressible ring disposed within said apparatus and said means for moving said retaining means into gripping engagement with said container comprising means for compressing said compressible ring toward engagement with the container;   said means for compressing said ring toward gripping engagement with said container comprising a cam ring disposed between said cap and said skirt with said cam ring being movable toward and away from said skirt upon progressive movement of said cap onto and off of said skirt, said cam ring being formed to define a first contoured surface positioned to oppose a surface of said skirt, said compressible ring being captured between said first contoured surface of said cam ring and said surface of said skirt as said cap is moved progressively onto said skirt to compress said compressible ring into engagement with said container.   
     
     
       3. An apparatus for selectively capping and uncapping a container as claimed in claim 2 and wherein said skirt is formed with a plurality of spaced radially arrayed tabs extending generally upwardly therefrom and wherein said cam ring is formed with a plurality of spaced radially arrayed tabs extending generally downwardly therefrom, said cam ring tabs being configured to be received into the spaces between said skirt tabs in interleaved fashion as said cam ring moves toward said skirt, said cam ring tabs and said skirt tabs being formed with contoured confronting surfaces configured to capture and compress said compressible ring into engagement with the container upon movement of said cam ring toward said skirt. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus for selectively capping and uncapping a container of the type having a container body and a container end with said apparatus comprising: a skirt configured to extend at least partially about the body of the container adjacent the end thereof;   a cap configured to be received by said skirt with said cap at least partially spanning and covering the container end when said skirt is in position extending about the container body;   cooperative mating means on said cap and said skirt with said mating means being adapted to provide progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt upon appropriate manipulation of said cap relative to said skirt;   retaining means operatively associated with said cap and said skirt, said retaining means being configured to lock said skirt securely in position about the container body when moved into gripping engagement with the container;   means for moving said retaining means into gripping engagement with the container upon initial progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt to lock said skirt in position about the container;   means for maintaining said retaining means in gripping engagement with the container upon further progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt;   sealing means on said cap for engaging and sealing off the container end as said cap is moved progressively onto said skirt;   said sealing means comprising a generally annular gasket mounted within said cap with said gasket being constructed and configured to engage and seat against the end of the container as said cap is moved progressively onto said skirt to seal off at least a portion of the container end;   said gasket being sized to engage and seat about the peripheral portion of the container end;   said cap being formed with an interior depending annular projection and said annular gasket being mounted to and extending about the lower edge and sides of said projection.   
     
     
       5. An apparatus for selectively capping and uncapping a container of the type having a container body and a container end with said apparatus comprising: a skirt configured to extend at least partially about the body of the container adjacent the end thereof;   a cap configured to be received by said skirt with said cap at least partially spanning and covering the container end when said skirt is in position extending about the container body;   cooperating mating means on said cap and said skirt with said mating means being adapted to provide progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt upon appropriate manipulation of said cap relative to said skirt;   retaining means operatively associated with said cap and said skirt, said retaining means being configured to lock said skirt securely in position about the container body when moved into gripping engagement with the container;   means for moving said retaining means into gripping engagement with the container upon initial progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt to lock said skirt in position about the container;   means for maintaining said retaining means in gripping engagement with the container upon further progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt;   sealing means on said cap for engaging and sealing off the container end as said cap is moved progressively onto said skirt;   said retaining means comprising a diametrically compressible ring disposed within said apparatus and said means for moving said retaining means into gripping engagement with said container comprising means for compressing said compressible ring toward engagement with the container;   said means for compressing said ring comprising a cam formed in said cap with said cam being configured with a first contoured surface shaped and positioned to engage and compress said ring upon initial progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt; and   said means for maintaining said retaining means in gripping engagement with the container upon further progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt comprising a second contoured surface formed on said cam with said second contoured surface being configured to bear against said compressible ring with substantially constant force as said cap is moved further onto said skirt to maintain said ring in gripping engagement with the container.   
     
     
       6. An apparatus for selectively capping and uncapping a container of the type having a generally cylindrical container body and a container end, said apparatus comprising: a skirt member configured to extend at least partially about the body of a container adjacent the end thereof;   a cap configured to be received by said skirt with said cap at least partially spanning and covering the container end when said skirt is in position extending about the container body;   cooperative mating means on said cap and said skirt with said mating means being adapted to provide progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt upon appropriate manipulation of said cap relative to said skirt;   confronting surfaces within said apparatus with said confronting surfaces being positioned at least partially to surround the container body adjacent its end when said apparatus is mounted on the container, said confronting surfaces being operatively associated with said cap and said skirt to move progressively toward each other as said cap is moved progressively onto said skirt;   a diametrically compressible retaining ring disposed within said apparatus captured between said confronting surfaces, said retaining ring being adapted to engage and grip the container to lock said apparatus securely thereabout when said retaining ring is compressed to a predetermined locking diameter;   at least one of said confronting surfaces being contoured to engage and compress said retaining means to its predetermined locking diameter upon initial progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt and to maintain said retaining ring at its predetermined locking diameter upon further progressive movement of said cap onto said skirt; and   sealing means on said cap for engaging and sealing off the container end as said cap is moved progressively onto said skirt subsequent to compression of said retaining ring to its predetermined locking diameter,   whereby the retaining ring is compressed to its locking diameter to engage the container and lock the apparatus thereabout upon initial progressive movement of the cap onto the skirt whereupon further progressive movement of the cap onto the skirt draws the sealing means into engagement with the container end to seal the container while the retaining ring is maintained at its predetermined locking diameter.